Early Opera Company, St Clement Danes Church, The Strand, London (part of
the BOC Covent Garden Festival)

Ginevra    Amanda Boyd
Dalinda    Jeni Bern
Polinesso  Christine Rice
Ariodante  Louise Mott
The King   Dean Robinson
Lurcanio   James Oxley

Conductor  Christian Curnyn
Director   Sarah Alexander

Rodney Milnes in the Times' comment on this production was roughly "Oh, no,
not Ariondante again." It's true that there are several recent or current
productions and recordings, and the ENO production was broadcast at
Christmas. But in its economical way this one was thoroughly enjoyable, and
it seemed to reach an audience who wouldn't have gone to the Coliseum or
dreamed of buying a recording.

The BOC Covent Garden Festival (it has a number of other sponsors, but BOC
got their name on early) originally aimed to encourage customers for
businesses in the Covent Garden development. This year's programme is
generally lightweight (Trial by Jury in the law courts, a British musicals
exhibit, early Sondheim, but also a Korngold centenary concert, and - heh,
heh, heh - an interview with Genista Mackintosh). But all three
performances of Ariondante were sold out well in advance, and the audience
seemed to enjoy it a lot.

Maybe Ariodante is nearly production proof. The plot includes the
archetypical events of growing up in simple form -- love, fear, jealously,
lies -- and the action is straightforward. (Contrast Alcina, where there's
a different situation for just about every aria.) And the various strands
are psychologically plausible: what happens when you're in love with
someone who your best friend turns down? What happens when you think your
lover is seeing someone else? How do you cope with your daughter becoming a
sexual being? And how do you cope with knowing that your father knows it?

Sarah Alexander's production concentrated on the basics. The high stage was
empty except for a tree and a polarized scrim, used for characters to
appear as visions. There was also an occasional chair for Polinesso, which
apart from an outburst of underwear was the only other remniscence of the
ENO production. (They did use Amanda Holden's translation, though.) Most
scenes consisted simply of the relevant singers interacting -- no hidden
onlookers unless scripted, or hanging off the pulpit. The only error of
judgement was to keep the ballet music in all three acts and not to have
anything much going on (especially a problem in Act 2, where Ginevra was
supposed to convey her dreams while alone asleep on the stage).

There were no supers, and Oduardo's music was given to Lurcanio, except for
the narrative of Ariodante's supposed drowning, which Polinesso got. This
didn't work too badly, as it made the false story the result of malice.

The singers all delivered effective performances, and brought out the
emotional force of their music, though perhaps not always its complexity.
Louise Mott as Ariodante sang the coloratura arias with precision and lots
of energy. Christine Rice as Polinesso (one of my favorite villains) was
smug and smirking -- very well characterized. She has a gorgeous dark voice
which was far too beautiful for villainy, though.

The small orchestra, authentic instruments, was splendid, apart from
predictable odd noises from the natural horns which took most of the
evening to get to pitch.

I don't think anyone left early, even though Ariodante comes in at four
hours and we were sitting on church pews with only token cushions.